Stop-motion for full fashioned knitting machines



B. H. LANE STOPMOTION FOR FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 17, 1952 Filed Jan. 18, 1951 INVENTORI BAs/z. A. Z ANE.

June 17, 1952 B. H. LANE 2,601,155

STOP-MOTION FOR FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 18, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORI [5145/4 /7. Z AA/E BY Q ATTORNEYS June 17, 1952 B. H. LANE 2,601,155

STOP-MOTION FOR FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 18, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I NVENTOR S ATTORNEYS Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT @EFME STOP-MOTION FOR FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINES Application January 18, 1951, Serial No. 206,614

Claims. 1

This invention relates to full fashioned hosiery knitting machines and more especially to an improved stop motion mechanism or safety switch, the primary object of which is to provide means for automatically stopping the knitting machine upon failure of the usual welt hooks associated with a welt turner moving into and out of operative position relative to the vertically movable needles in proper timed relation.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, a welt turner is provided with av plurality of spaced welt hooks which move into position between certain spaced sinkers, there being one of these welt hooksv for every other needle in each section of a full fashioned hosiery knitting machine. Certain. cam means are provided which cause the welt hooks to move downwardly into engagement with the beards of alternate needles as these needles are lowered and subsequently hold the beards in closed position so that alternate loops will be withdrawn over the tops of the needles.

Then, asv the loops are withdrawn from the tops, of the needles as a result of the needles moving downwardly beneath the sinkers, the welt hooks move downwardly into the loops previously cast from the corresponding needles and thus support the knitted fabric and resiliently pull the fabric outwardly away from the sinkers during knitting of subsequent stitches. A suitable welt rod is manually inserted in suitable spring loaded members disposed adjacent opposed sides of the knitted fabric as it is drawn outwardly away from the sinkers and, after a predetermined number of courses have been knitted, the welt hooks again move inwardly toward and between the sinkers as the corresponding needles assume a lower position and then these needles move upwardly to pass between the loops previously transferred to the welt hooks to take the loops therefrom and following which the welt hooks move upwardly with the needles and then inwardly relative to the sinkers and away from the boards of the needles and are finally moved upwardly to inoperative position to complete the cycle in the operation of the welt hooks.

Now, knitting machines of this type are provided. with a locking cam mounted on the welt turner. cam shaft which transmits movement to the. Welt turner and this welt cam has a pair of diametrically opposed notches therein which are adapted to be engaged by a roller on the free end of a pivoted arm, the position of these notchesiin the lock cam relative to the arm denoting that the proper sequence of the welt turner and the needles may be assured. However, there are in- 2 stances when the lock cam may not be properly positioned at the time the welt turner moves into operative position with the result that the timing of the movement of the needles and the sinkers will not correspond properly to the timing of the movement of the welt turner into and out of operative position. This results, in many in stances, in a substantial number of the sinkers being broken or damaged as well as the beards on a substantial number of the needles being torn from the needles and thus requiring a considerable down time of the machine and expense in replacement of the needles, sinkers and dividers.

It is therefore, another object of this invention to overcome such defects by providing an improved stop motion comprising a pair of plungers which are adapted to be engaged by the arm having the roller on the free end thereof which engages said lock cam and having means connected to one of the plungers for operating a switch interposed in the circuit to the electric motor which drives the knitting machine and the other of the plungers having means associated therewith for releasing the first-named plunger from a suitable locking device or latch as the roller on said arm drops into the next notch in said lock cam and, in the event of this locking device not being positioned in a locking position, upon the arm moving upwardly out of engagement with the plungers twice in succession, the switch will then be operated to interrupt the flow of electrical energy to the electric motor.

In other words, in advance of each period in which the corresponding notch in the locking cam moves out of engagement with said roller, means on the automatic shaft which control various operations of the machine, such as its speed, narrowing fingers, friction. releases etc, cause the latch means to move into latching position and, as the locking cam rotates to elevate said arm, only one of the plungers may move upwardly because of the other plunger being held downwardly by said latch means and, before the roller on said arm drops into the next succeeding notch in said lock cam, there is provided means engageable by said plunger, which had been caused to move upwardly, for releasing said latch means fromthe lower portion of the other of the plungers and, in the event that the latch means is not again positioned in latching position and the cam rotates to""where the roller again starts to move out of the first-named notch, both of the plungers will move upwardly to thus operate a switch mechanism for stopping the motor which drives the machine.

Some of the objects of the invention having 3 been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a transverse Vertical sectional view through a typical full fashioned hosiery knitting machine showing the automatic welt turning attachment in association therewith and also showing the improved stop motion in association therewith;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view with parts broken away and looking substantially along the line 33 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation of the improved stop motion looking at the back of the plate which supports the same and substantially along the line 4-4 in Figure 3 with various of associated parts being shown in cross section;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view similar to Figure 4 but showing the parts in a different position;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line'B-E in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figures 4 and 5 but showing the parts in still another position;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 in Figure 5.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral I broadly designates the frame of the machine which includes a plurality of spaced upright transverse frame members ll, only one of which is shown in Figure 1 and these frame members are joined by front and rear bottom rails l2 and 13, respectively. The upper portion of the frame IE1 supports a rotatable take-up shaft rearwardly of which is disposed a table frame member I6 and spaced rearwardly of the table frame member I6 is a horizontally disposed and longitudinally extending sinker head rail I! which supports a conventional sinker bed. The front ends of the sinker bed has conventional sinkers l8 slidably mounted therein between which are the usual dividers, not shown. Vertically movable beard needles 22 are adapted to pass between the sinkers and the dividers and cooperate with the same in forming stitches.

The lower ends of the needles 22 are attached to a needle bar 24 which is operated in a conventional manner by a cenventional mechanism, not shown. An electric motor 25, which is only shown schematically in Figure 4, transmits rotation to a conventional main cam shaft 26 through conventional intervening connections not show, the cam shaft 26 beig suitably supported for rotation in the frame H3.

It might be stated that this main cam shaft 26 is instrumental in transmitting vertical movement to the needle bar 24 and the corresponding needles 22 as well as the sinkers and the dividers on the sinker bed 20. The manner of operation of the main cam shaft 26 and intervening connections, not shown, for operating the sinkers and the dividers is well known to those familiar with the art and a description thereof is thus deemed unnecessary. The flat or full fashioned hosiery knitting machine "shown in the present drawings is of a type substantially as is shown in a patent to Lieberknecht, No. 2,195,872 of April 2, 1940, and in a patent to Zesch, No. 2,432,108 of December 9, 1947, and substantially as manufactured by Karl Lieberknecht, Inc., Reading, Pennsylvania.

Suitably supported on the rear of each of the transverse frame members ll of the knitting machine frame [0 is a top galley frame member designated broadly at 30 and which includes an upstanding portion 3] having a forwardly extending portion 32 at the upper end thereof. This forwardly extending portion 32 of the galley frame member 30 supports a horizontally disposed welt turner cam shaft 33 for rotation thereon and this welt turner cam shaft 33 has a suitable cam means, not shown, associated therewith for imparting vertical movement to a welt turner broadly designated at 35.

The welt turner 35 includes an upper substantially horizontally disposed forwardly and rearwardly extending arm 36 which is pivotally mounted at its rear end on a shaft 37 oscillatably mounted in suitable bearing blocks 40 which are, in turn, suitably secured to the upper surfaces of a plurality of the upper galley frame portions 3|. The front end of the arm 36 has a substantially vertically disposed and downwardly extending welt turning arm 4| pivotally connected thereto as at 42, and which is normally urged outwardly or in a counter-clockwise direction in Figure 1 by a suitable conventional spring means not shown. The lower end of the vertically disposed welt turner arm 4| of the welt turner 35 has a conventional welt hook supporting bar 43 suitably secured thereto in which a plurality of spaced welt hooks 45 are suitably secured and which extend downwardly therefrom.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, these welt hooks are caused, through conventional pattern controlled clutch means, not shown, on the welt turner cam shaft 33, to move downwardly between certain of the spaced sinkers as alternate needles, which correspond to these welt hooks 44, move upwardly above the sinkers so the loops on these particular needles may be transferred from the needles to the welt hooks in the course of a welt turning operation.

It is thus seen that the operation of the welt turner 35 must be accurately timed relative to movement of the sinkers and the needles as this movement is transmitted thereto from the main cam shaft 26. The welt turner cam shaft 33 is driven through suitable connections to the main cam shaft 26, these connections including a relatively large beveled gear 50 rotatably mounted on the cam shaft 26 and which meshes with a relatively small beveled gear 5| fixed on the lower end of a rearwardly and upwardly extending angularly disposed shaft 52, this shaft 52 being rotatably mounted in suitable bearing blocks 53 and 54 which are suitably secured to the lower frame member II. The upper end of the shaft 52 also has a beveled gear 56 fixed thereon which meshes with a beveled gear 5! fixedly mounted on a horizontally disposed shaft 60 which extends longitudinally of the machine and at the rear end thereof. This shaft 60 transmits rotation to an upwardly and forwardly extending angularly disposed shaft 6| through suitable gearing not shown, and the upper end of the shaft 6| also has suitable gearing thereon for transmitting rotation to the welt turner cam shaft 33.

The cam shaft 26 has a conventional clutch means associated therewith, not shown, which is pattern controlled for intermittently driving the gear 50 and shaft 33. The control means for the welt turner 35 and the welt turner cam shaft 33 may be substantially as shown in Lieberknecht Patent No. 2,183,575 of December 19, 1939, and a further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Each of the transverse frame members II also 5 has an upwardly projecting rear portion 65 which is: disposed forwardly of the upper galley frame 30, in the upper end of which a horizontally disposed automatic shaft 66 is rotatably mounted and this shaft 66 being driven intermittently, in a step-by-step manner, through suitable well known pattern mechanisms and connections, by the cam shaft 26, as shown in Figure 5 of said Zesch patent, so as to operate in correct timed relation to the operation of the needles 22,. the sinkers and the dividers. This automatic shaft 66 is instrumental in providing the pattern for determining the operation of such devices as the widening and narrowing mechanisms, picot attachments, lace attachments and the like all of which have been omitted from the drawings since they are not pertinent to the present invention.

It will be observed that the automatic shaft 66 is usually provided with a plurality of pattern disks or segment disks having segments thereon for controlling the usual patterning operations of the machine, and in this instance, a similar segment or pattern disk is shown fixed on the shaft 66 and which. has first and second spaced segments or cam members II and I2 thereon and which are suitably secured thereto as, by screws I3. The spacing of the segments II and I2 is, of course, dependent upon the particular patterning otherwise controlled by the automatic shaft 66.

Now, in setting up the machine preparatory to knitting a certain type of article, there is provided a conventional locking disk or cam I which is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed first and second notches I6 and 11, respectively. This locking disk or cam I5 is .adjustably secured on the welt turner cam shaft 33 by a suitable set screw 80 and, upon the various parts of the knitting machine being adjusted so as to operate in proper sequence as heretofore described, the locking disk is positioned so that a roller 8| rotatably mounted on the free end of a locking arm 82 will drop into one or the other of the notches I6 or I! as the arm M of the welt turner moves the corresponding welt hooks 44 into operative position for turning the welt of a full fashioned stocking.

The shaft 33 and the corresponding locking disk or cam I5 then remain stationary during the forming of the welt and upon the welt forming operation being completed, the arm M then operates in a well known manner to cause the welt hooks 44 to again deposit the loops thereon onto the corresponding needles and to move upwardly to inoperative position and, during said last operation, a half revolution is imparted to the locking disk or cam 15, upon completion of which the roller 8| will drop into the other of the notches H5 or TI.

It will be observed in Figure 1 that the rear end of the locking arm 82 is oscillatably mounted on the shaft 3'! and this locking arm 82 and the corresponding roller 8| have no function other than that of determining whether or not the position of the shaft 33 is correct relative to the position of the various other knitting instrumentalities. V

The various parts of the machine heretofore described, other than the special segment disk 10 and its segments II and I2 are conventional parts of a full fashioned or fiat knitting machine having a welt turning attachment and it is with these parts that the present invention is particularly adapted to be associated.

Referring to Figure 3, it is clearly shown that the forwardly extending arm or portion 32 of the upper guide frame member 30 is off-set to thus form a shoulder 32a at the rear of shaft 33 and on which a vertically disposed plate or bracket 9| of an improved stop motion control apparatus broadly designated at 92 is secured as by screws 93.

It will be observed in Figures 2, 4, 5 and '7 that the free end of the plate or bracket 9| terminates adjacent the locking disk or cam 15. This plate or bracket 9i has a pair of vertically spaced guide blocks and 96 secured thereto as by screws 91 and- 98 respectively (Figures 4 and 6). A pair of horizontally spaced vertically disposed plungers. namely, a first plunger NH and a second plunger I 02, are mounted for vertical sliding movement in the guide blocks 95 and 96 and are confined therein by suitable plates I03 and I04 which are secured to the rear faces of the respective guide blocks 95 and 96 by the screws 91 and 98 heretofore described.

The upper ends of the vertically movable first and second plungers II and I02 are provided with respective adjustment screws I05 and I06 which are threadably embedded in the upper ends of the plungers I01 and I02 and on each of which a suitable lock nut I0! is provided. The vertically movable plungers IBI and I02 are shown as being substantially rectangular or squared in cross-section, however, it is to be understood that these plungers IM and I02 are or may be of any suitable cross section if so desired.

The upper ends of the plungers NH and I02 also have stop collars H0 and III adjustably secured thereto by Screws H2. The vertically disposed first plunger IOI extends downwardly substantially below the lower surface of the lower guide block 36 and past a substantially horizontal leg II5 of a switch actuating member in the form of a bell crank broadly designated at H6. The bell crank H6 is oscillatably mounted as by a shoulder screw I33 on the bracket 9'I. A vertical leg III of the bell crank II6 extends upwardly and has an adjustment screw I20 threadably penetrating the same and which is held in adjusted position by a suitable lock nut I2I. The head of this adjustment screw I20 is adapted to at all times engage a plunger I22 of a sensitive switch I23 of any desired construction and which assumes a normal- 1y closed position when the plunger I22 is not engaged by the head of the adjustmentscrew I20 for completing a circuit between a pair of wires or conductors I25 and I26.

The wire or conductor I25 at one side of the switch I23 is connected to one side of a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown, and the wire or conductor I26 at the other side of the switch I23 is connected to one side of a manually operable switch I21 which when closed completes a circuit to the electric motor 25 heretofore described. This electric motor 25 has a conductor or wire I30 extending therefrom to the side of the switch I21 remote from. the side to which the wire I26 is connected. A lead wire I3I is also connected to the other side of the motor 25 remote from the side to which the wire I30 is connected-and the free end of this wire or conductor is connected to one side of the source of electrical energy not shown, remote from the side to which the wire or conductor [25 is connected.

Thus, upon the plunger I22 of the switch I23 being depressed in a manner to be later described, the circuit to the electric motor will be opened thus stopping the electric motor 25 and stopping the knitting machine. The upper ends of the adjustment screws I05 and I06 on the upper ends of the respective first and second plungers and I02 are adapted to, at times, be engaged by a substantially L-shaped bunter I34 which may be an integral part of the looking arm 82 and which, in this instance, is suitably secured as by a screw I35, to the locking arm 82. When the roller 8| on the free end of the locking arm 82 is not disposed in one of the notches 16 or 11, the plungers IOI and I02 are each lifted upwardly by a corresponding compression spring I36, the upper end of which bears against a stop pin I31 which penetrates the corresponding plunger and this stop pin I31 resists upward movement of the corresponding plungers |0| and I02 as they engage the lower surface of the upper guide block 95. The lower ends of the compression spring I36 bears against the upper surface of the lower guide block 96.

It will be observed in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 that the lower end of the second plunger I02 is pivotally connected, as at I40 to the free end of the horizontal leg II of the bell crank H6. The horizontal leg II5 of the bell crank II6 also has an outwardly facing hook projection or portion I4I' depending therefrom which is adapted to, at times, be engaged by an upwardly and inward- 1y facing hook portion I42 of a latch member broadly designated at I43.

The latch member I43 also has a horizontal leg I44 in which one end of a stop pin I45 is fixedly secured as by a pressed fit. This stop pin I45 works in a slotted member I46 which extends downwardly and is suitably secured, as by a screw I41, in a laterally extending arm I50 which is suitably secured, as by rivets I5I, in a guide block I52. The guide block I52 is mounted for horizontal sliding movement on a latch guide bar I53 which is suitably secured as by screws I54, to the bracket 9|.

The end of the latch member I43, remote from the end on which the hook portion I42, has a downwardly projecting portion I55 integral therewith which is pivotallymounted as at I56, in the bifurcated upper portion of the latch guide block I52. The latch member I43 and its corresponding guide block I52 are normally urged to the left in Figures 4, 5 and '1 by a tension spring I60 which is connected to a suitable spring anchor |6| projecting from the bracket 9| at one end thereof and the other end of this tension spring I60 is connected to an upwardly extending projection or spring anchor I62 which projects upwardly from the shank portion I44 of the latch member I43 above the pivot point I56 and, therefore, not only urges the latch member I43 from right to left in Figure v4 but also normally urges the free end or hook portion I42 of the latch member I43 upwardly to normally cause the stop pin I45 to engage the upper wall of the slot in the slotted member I46.

The lower end of the first plunger IOI is rounded as at I65 and this rounded lower end is adapted to, at times, engage the upper surface of a latch releasing cam or block I66 which is mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on the shank I44 of the latch member I43 and is normally urged against the left-hand surface of either the lower portion of the first plunger ml or the slotted member I46 by a suitable compression spring I61 which encircles the stem or shank portion I44 of the latch member I43. One end of the compression spring I61 bears against 8 the downwardly projecting portion I55 of the latch member I43 and the other end thereof bears against the latch releasing cam or block The latch member I43 is shown in inoperative position in Figure 4 and is shown in operative position in Figures 5 and '7. Now, in order to move the latch member I43 from inoperative to operative position, the lower portion of the bracket 9| in Figures 4, 5 and '1 is provided with a notch I10 therein in which a cam or inclined member MI is adapted to have free movement and this cam member I1I is moved, in a manner to be later described, in such a manner as to engage the outer surface or left-hand surface of a lower portion of the latch guide block I52 which projects below the horizontal plane of the notch I16 in the bracket 9| and to thus move the guide block I52 and the corresponding latch member I43 from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5.

The latch actuating cam IN is suitably secured, as by welding, on the free end of a gooseneck portion I12 of a latch actuating lever I13. This latch actuating lever I13 extends downwardly and rearwardly at an angle and is oscillatably mounted as at I14 on the front portion of a latch lever bracket I 15 which extends in Figure l and is suitably secured, as by screws I16, to the medial portion of the outwardly and forwardly extending portion 3| of the upper galley frame 30. The lower portion of the lever I13 has a rearwardly facing reading projection I integral therewith which is adapted to, at times, engage the periphery of the segment disk 10 and to, at other times, be engaged by the segments 1| or 12 and against which the reading projection is urged by a suitable tension spring I8| which is connected at one end thereof intermediate the ends of the portion of the lever I 13 disposed below the pivot point I 14 thereof and the other end of which is suitably secured to an intermediate portion of the lever bracket I15 and which also normally urges the latch actuating lever I13 in a clockwise direction in Figure 1 or in the upper end thereof towards the observer in Figures 4, 5 and '7.

Method of operation During normal operation of the knitting machine shown in Figure 1, such as in knitting the leg portion of a full-fashioned stocking, the roller 8| rests in the notch 16 of the locking cam 15 and, as a result of which, the bunter I34 engages the upper ends of the adjustment screws I05 and I06 on the corresponding plungers I Ill and I02 and thus holds them in the position shown in Figure 4 with the various other parts also assuming the position shown in Figure 4. Thus, the adjustment screw I20 on the vertical leg N1 of the bell crank H6 is held out of engagement with the plunger I22 of the switch I23 to permit normal operation of the motor 25, assuming the manually operable switch I21 to be in closed position.

Now, the automatic shaft 66 is controlled by conventional means, not shown in the present drawings but as is clearly shown in said Patents Nos. 2,195,872 and 2,432,108, in such a manner as to move the first segment or cam 1| on the segment disk 10 into and out of engagement with the reading projection I80 on the latch actuating lever I13 immediately before a half revolution in rotation is imparted to the welt turner cam shaft 33 and the corresponding locking cam I5. This occurs immediately preceding the movement of the substantially vertical arm 4| of the welt turner 35 downwardly to where the Welt hooks 44 move back of the alternate needles 22 for closing the beards thereon and for transferring the loops from these alternate needles to the welt hooks 44.

Thus, the cam III on the upper free end of the latch actuating lever II3 moves forwardly into engagement with the latch guide block I52 to thereby cause the corresponding latch member I43 to move from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5. As the latch member I43 moves from left to right to the position shown in Figure 5, the rounded leading edge of the hook projection I42 on the latch member I43 engages the rounded lower edgeof the hook projection |4| on the horizontal leg II5 of the bell crank H6 and thus moves downwardly slightly to pass beneath the hook projection MI and is then moved upwardly by virtue of the tension spring I60 to where the hook portion I42 of the latch member I43 engages the hook projection |4| on the bell crank II6.

It will be observed that as the latch member I43 moves from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5, the latch releasing member I 66 engages the lower portion of the first plunger before the latch member I43 has been moved to fully operative position.

As movement is subsequently imparted to the looking cam I5, the free end of the locking arm 82 is moved upwardly out of the corresponding notch I6 from the position shown in Figures 4 I and to substantially the position shown in V Figure 7. Thus, the compression spring I36 will move the plunger |0| upwardly to where the lower end thereof will be disposed above the latch releasing block or cam I66 and, therefore, i

of the latch projection I42 of the latch member I43 being in engagement with the hook portion I4| of the bell crank H5 and, therefore, the motor may continue its operation.

Now, if the operations of the needles 22, the sinkers and the dividers are timed properly relative to the movement of the welt hooks 44 into cooperating position relative to the needles, the cam I2 on the segment disk will move into engagement with the reading projection I80 on. the lever I13 immediately before a half revolution of the locking cam I5 is initiated, that is, immediately before the roller on the free end of the locking arm 82 is raised as the notch I6 on the locking cam I5 moves out of engagement therewith.

Now, in the course of a half revolution of the locking cam I5, resulting in the notch II moving into engagement with the roller 8| on the free end of the arm 82, and in which position the locking cam I6 remains during the knitting of the welt, the bunter I34 moves upwardly from the position shown in Figures 4 and 5 to the position shown in Figure '7 as heretofore described and then again moves downwardly to return to the position shown in Figure 4. However, at this time, the latch releasing cam or block I66 is disposed below the lower end of the first plunger as shown in Figure 7 and as this plunger is moved downwardly upon the roller 0| dropping into the notch II, the hook portion I42 of the latch memher I43 is also moved downwardly to where the hook portion I42 of the latch member I43 will clear the hook portion I4I on the bell crank I I6. The tension spring I60 will then cause the latch member I43 to move from right to left or from the position shown in Figure 7 to the position shown in Figure 4 so the various movable parts of the stop motion apparatus 92 will again assume the position shown in Figure 4.

If the welt hooks 44 are moved into operative position in proper timed relation to the corresponding needles 22 following the welt turning operation and before the hooks 44 are elevated to inoperative position, the cam member or segment I2 on the segment disk I0 will then move into engagement with the reading projection I on the lever arm II3 to again cause the latch member I43 to be moved from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5. Immediately following the movement of this cam member or segment I2 into engagement with the reading projection I80 on the actuating lever I13, the roller 8| will again be raised as the notch I I in the locking cam 15 moves out of engagement therewith so the various parts will again assume the position shown in Figure '7 to complete a cycle in the normal operation of the stop motion mechanism 92. This will permit continued operation of the electric motor 25.

Now, in the event of the welt hooks 44 moving into operative position in out of time relation to the movement of the needles 22, the corresponding segment or cam II or I2 is so positioned that it will fail to engage the reading projection I80 on the lower end of the latch actuating lever II3 while the parts are in the position shown in Figure 4 and before the notch I6 or II, a the case may he, moves out of engagement with the roller 0| .on the free end of the latch arm 82. Consequently, as the free end of the locking arm 82 is elevated, upon one of the notches I6 and 11 in the locking cam I5 moving out of engagement with the roller 8| thereon, the latch member I43 will have remained in the position shown in Figure 4 with the result that the second plunger I02 will be moved upwardly as the first plunger I0| is moved upwardly by virtue of the corresponding compression spring I36 and, thus, the head of the adjustment screw I20 will depress the plunger I22 of the switch I23 and open the switch I23 to thereby stop the motor 25 which will, of course, stop the machine.

The position of the notches I6 and IT in the locking cam I5 is such that the various other cams, not shown, on the welt turner cam shaft 33 will not impart sufficient movement to the welt hooks 44, upon the locking arm 82 being elevated as the roller 0| moves out of the corresponding notches I6 and TI, sufficiently to break the beards from the corresponding needles 22 or to damage the adjacent sinkers or dividers.

It is thus seen that during normal operation, the L-shaped bunter I34 of the locking arm 82 normally rests upon the upper ends of the adjustment screws I05 and I06 on the corresponding plungers |0I and I 02 and, therefore, holds them in a depressed position, as shown in Figure 4, and upon the arm 82 being moved upwardly, only the plunger IIII may move upwardly therewith. Then, as the roller 0| drops into the subsequent notch in the locking cam 75, the first plunger IIiI again moves downwardly to release the latch member I43 from the bell crank H6 and then, before the locking arm 82 is again elevat-ed, the latch member I43 is again moved into engaging position as shown in Figure 5, thus permitting continued operation of the switch mechanism.

It is also seen that in the'event of the'latch member I43 not being positioned as shown in Figure 5, upon alternate movement of the free end of the locking arm 82, the second plunger I02 will be permitted to move upwardly to thus open the switch I23 and to stop the machine.

There are many reasons why the welt turner cam shaft 33 may not operate in proper timed relation to the needles etc., among which is; the clutch on the main cam shaft, which controls the gear 50, may not operate efficiently or the patterning therefor may be faulty resulting in the welt turner cam shaft 33 turning a fractional part more than a half revolution during operation of the welt turner 35. Also, the gear may adhere slightly to the shaft 26 during other knitting operations, such as operating the picot or narrowing attachments, and such unintentional movement of the welt turner cam shaft 33 would ordinarily damage many intricate parts of the machine, all of which is obviated because the present invention will stop the machine instantly upon a very slight movement of the locking cam 15.

The latch actuating lever I13 may be controlled from sources other than the automatic shaft 65, as is well known to those familiar with this type of knitting machine. This particular shaft is employed in the present arrangement because of its proximity to the welt turner cam shaft 33 and because a step in rotation is imparted to the automatic shaft 66 to reduce the speed of the machine immediately preceding the knitting of the hookup course and the welt turning course.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. An improvement in a full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine having vertically reciprocable needles and also having a welt turner attachment provided with a plurality of welt hooks adapted to cooperate with said needles in effectin a welt turning operation, said machine also having a welt turner cam shaft for controlling movement of the welt turner into and out out engagement with the needles and also having a locking cam fixed on the welt turner cam shaft provided with a pair of diametrically opposed notches therein and also having a pivoted locking arm provided with a roller on the free end thereof adapted to ride in engagement with the upper surface of said looking cam, said locking cam being so positioned as to cause the roller on said arm to successively drop into either of the notches thereon upon movement of the welt turner attachment into and out of operative position relative to the needles in proper timed relation, said improvement comprising means automatically operable upon failure of the rolleron the locking arm movin into the corresponding notch in the locking disk in proper timed relation to movement of the needles for stopping the machine.

2. An improved stop motion apparatus for actuating a switch on a machine having a first arm automatically movable in a reciprocatory manner and said machine also having a second arm movable in a reciprocatory manner in timed relation to the first arm, said stop motion mechanism comprising a bracket having a first and a second movable plunger slidably mounted thereon and each having spring means normally urging the plungers toward the first arm, a switch actuating member pivotally connected to the second plunger and normally being disposed in an inoperative position relative to said switch upon said first arm engaging and depressing the corresponding ends of said plungers, a latch member, means on said switch actuating member adapted to be engaged by said latch member, means on the second arm adapted to move the latch member into engagement with the switch actuating member immediately before the first arm moves out of engagement with the corresponding ends of the plungers and whereby the second plunger will be prevented from moving with said first arm by Virtue of said latch member holding the corresponding switch actuating member in a predetermined position. means engageable by the first plunger upon the first plunger being subsequently depressed by said first arm for releasing the latch member from engagement with the switch actuating member, said second arm being operable automatically to subsequently again move said latch member into operative position to permit a repetition of the cycle and whereby, upon failure of said second member moving the latch member into operative position, both of the plungers will be permitted to move with a subsequent movement of the first arm in a direction away from the plungers to thereby permit the switch actuating arm to operate upon said switch.

3. In a machine having a switch-controlled element and also having a first automatically reciprocable member and also having a second automatically reciprocable member adapted to reciprocate in advance of each reciprocation of the first reciprocable member, means for controlling said switch-controlled element comprising a bracket fixed on the machine adjacent said first and second reciprocable members and having a switch thereon connected to the switch-controlled element, a first and second spring loaded plunger normally biased towards the first reciprocable member, means on the second plunger connecting the same with said switch and so arranged that, upon the plungers bein engaged and depressed b the first reciprocable member, the switch assumes a predetermined position, means automatically operable by the second reciprocable member in advance of the 'first reciprocable member moving away from said plungers for holding the second plunger in a predetermined position as the first plunger moves with the first reciprocable member, means engageable by the first plunger upon a subsequent movement of the first reciprocable member toward and in engagement with the plungers for releasing said second plunger from the holding means to cause the second plunger to move With the first plunger upon a subsequent movement of the first reciprocable member away from the plungers in the event that the second reciprocable member does not move in proper timed relation to the first reciprocable member to again cause the second plunger to be held in said predetermined position and whereby, upon failure of the second reciprocable member to operate in proper timed relation to the first reciprocable member, the second plunger will move with the first plunger and the means thereon connecting the same with the switch will cause the switch to assume a different position to thereby effect a change in the switchcontrolled element.

4. An improved stop motion mechanism for a 13 full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine having vertically reciprocable needles and also having a welt turner attachment thereon provided with welt hooks adapted to cooperate with the vertically reciprocable needles in effecting a welt turning operation, said knitting machine having a welt turner cam shaft provided with a locking cam fixed thereon, said locking cam having a pair of diametrically opposed notches in the periphery thereof and said machine also having a locking arm pivotally mounted thereon and being provided with a roller in the free end thereof adapted to ride against the periphery of said locking cam, said machine also having an electric motor for driving the same, said improved stop motion mechanism comprising a bracket disposed adjacent said locking arm and having a switch thereon adapted to be interposed in the circuit between a source of electrical energy and the electric motor, first and second upwardly biased plungers, means on said locking arm normally holding said plungers in a lowered position when the roller on said locking arm is in engagement with either of said diametrically opposed notches in the locking cam, a switch actuating member pivotally connected to the second "of said plungers and being held out of engagement with said switch when the plungers are engaged by the means on said locking arm, a

latch member disposed adjacent the switch actuating member, cam means adapted to engage the latch member to move the same in'to operative position relative to the switch member im mediately in advance of rotation being imparted to the locking cam for holding the switch actuat- 2 ing lever in inoperative position as the arm is moved upwardly upon the corresponding notch moving out of engagement with the roller on said arm but which will permit the first plunger tomove upwardly with said locking arm, means engageable by the first plunger upon the roller on said arm subsequently dropping into another notch in said locking cam for releasing said latch means'but resulting in both of the plungers still being held in a lowered position by said arm whereby, upon failure of said cam means to again move the latch means into operative position, upon another step in rotation being imparted to the locking cam, both of the plungers will be permitted to move upwardly with said arm and will thereby permit the switch actuating member to move into engagement with said switch for opening the circuit to said electric motor.

5. An improvement in a machine of a type having a first vertically reciprocable member thereon and also having a second movable member thereon adapted to move in timed relation to movement of the vertically reciprocable member in advance of each upward movement of the vertically reciprocable member, said machine also having a switch controlled element thereon, said improvement comprising a bracket fixed on said machine below said first vertically reciprocable member and having a switch thereon, connections between said switch and the switch controlled element, a switch actuating member movably mounted on said bracket, a first vertically movable plunger and a second vertically mov able plunger, spring means normally urging the vertically movable plungers upwardly towards the first vertically reciprocable member, a connection between the second vertically movable plunger and the switch actuating member, said first vertically reciprocable member normally holding the first and the second plungers in a lowered position and holding the switch actuating member out of operative position relative to said switch, a latch member normally biased to inoperative position relative to the switch actuating member, cam means on said second movable member adapted to move the latch member into operative position for engaging the switch actuating member prior to upward movement of the first vertically reciprocable member, whereby the first reciprocable member will permit the first plunger to move upwardly therewith as it subsequently moves upwardly, means engagea-ble by the first plunger upon a subsequent downward movement of the first vertically reciprocable member for releasing said latch member from the switch actuating member and whereby the first vertically reciprocable member will hold both of the plungers in a lowered position to still prevent the switch from being actuated by the switch actuating member and whereby upon failure of the second movable member to subsequently move the latch member into operative position before the vertically reciprocable member is again moved upwardly, both of the plungers will move upwardly with a subsequent upward movement of the first vertically reciprocable member thus permitting the switch actuating member to operate upon said switch.

6. An improved stop motion mechanism for actuating a switch on a machine having a first arm automatically movable in a reciprocatory manner and said machine also having a second arm'movable in a reciprocatory manner in timed relation to the first arm, said stop motion mechanism comprising a bracket having a first and a second movable plunger slidably mounted thereon and each having spring means normally urging the plungers toward the first arm, a switch actuating member pivotally connected to the second plunger and normally being disposed in an inoperative position relative to said switch upon said first arm engaging the corresponding ends of said plunger, a latch member normally biased to inoperative position, a hook on said switch actuating member adapted to be engaged by said latch member, means on the second arm adapted to move the latch member into operative position in engagement with the hook on the switch actuating member immediately before the first arm moves out of engagement with the corresponding ends of the plungers whereby the second plunger will be prevented from moving with said first arm by virtue of said latch member holding the corresponding switch actuating member in a predetermined position, means engageable by the first plunger upon the first plunger being subsequently depressed by said first arm for releasing the latch member from engagement with the hook on the switch actuat ing member, said second arm being operable automatically to subsequently again move said latch member into operative position to permit a repetition of the cycle and whereby, upon failure of said second member moving the latch member into operative position, both of the plungers will be permitted to move with a subsequent movement of the first arm in a direction away from the plungers to thereby permit the switch actuating arm to operate upon said switch.

'7. In a machine having a switch-controlled element and also having a first automatically reciprocable member and also having a second automatically reciprocable member adapted to reciprocate in advance of each reciprocation of the first reciprocable member, means for controlling said switch-controlled element comprising a bracket fixed on the machine adjacent said first and second reciprocable members and having a switch thereon for controlling the switch-controlled element, a first and a second spring loaded plunger normally biased towards the first reciprocable member, means on the second plunger connecting the same with said switch and so arranged that, upon the plungers being engaged and depressed :by the first reciprocable member, the switch assumes a predetermined position, a spring loaded latch member automatically operable by the second reciprocable member in advance of the first reciprocable member moving away from said plungers for holding the second plunger in a predetermined position as the first plunger moves with the first reciprocable member, a block slidably mounted on the latch member, spring means urging said block into engagement with one side of the first plunger as the first plunger moves with the first reciprocable member, said first plunger being movable out of engagement with said block with movement of the first reciprocable member whereby said block will move into alinement with the end of the first plunger to be engaged thereby upon a subsequent movement of the first reciprocable member toward and in engagement with the plungers for releasing said second plunger from the spring loaded latch member to cause the second plunger to move with the first plunger upon a subsequent movement of the first reciprocable member away from the plungers in the event the second reciprocable member does not move in proper timed relation to the first reciprocable member to again cause the second plunger to be held in said predetermined position and whereby, upon failure of the second reciprocable member to operate in proper timed relation to the first reciprocable member, the second plunger will move with the first plunger and the means thereon connecting the same with the switch will cause the switch to assume a different position to thereby efiect a change in the switch-controlled element.

8. In a full fashioned hosiery knitting machine having vertically reciprocable needles and also having a welt turner attachment provided with a plurality of welt hooks adapted to cooperate with said needles in efiecting a welt turning operation, said machine also having a welt turner cam shaft for controlling movement of the welt turner into and out of engagement with the needles and also having a locking cam fixed on the welt turner cam shaft provided with a pair of spaced irregularities thereon and also having a pivoted locking arm provided with a roller on the free end thereof adapted to ride in engagement with the upper surface of said locking cam, said locking cam being so positioned as to cause the roller on said arm to successively engage the irregularities thereon upon movement of the welt turner attachment into and out of operative position relative to the needles in proper timed relation, means automatically operable upon failure of the corresponding irregularity on said locking cam moving out of engagement with the roller on the locking arm in proper timed relation to movement of the needles for stopping the machine.

9. In a full fashioned hosiery knitting machine having vertically reciprocable needles and also having a welt turner attachment provided with a plurality of welt hooks adapted to cooperate with said needles in efiecting a welt turning operation, said machine also having a welt turner cam shaft for controlling movement of the welt turner into and out of engagement with the needles and also having a locking cam fixed on the welt turner cam shaft provided with at least one irregularity thereon and also having a pivoted locking arm provided with a. roller on the free end thereof adapted to ride in engagement with said locking cam, said locking cam being so positioned as to cause the roller on said arm to engage said irregularity thereon upon movement of the welt turner attachment into and out of operative position relative to the needles in proper timed relation, means automatically operable upon said locking cam moving its irregularity :beyond said roller during the knitting of a single course, such as the hook-up and welt turning courses of the welt, for stopping the machine.

10. In a full fashioned hosiery knitting machine having vertically reciprocable needles, a welt turner attachment provided with a plurality of welt hooks adapted to cooperate with said needles in efiecting a welt turning operation, a

welt turner cam shaft for controlling movement of the welt turner into and out of engagement with the needles, a locking cam fixed on the welt turner cam shaft provided with at least one irregularity thereon, a pivoted locking arm provided with means thereon adapted to ride in engagement with said locking cam and said locking cam being so positioned as to cause said means on said pivoted locking arm to engage said irregularity thereon upon movement of the welt turner attachment into and out of operative position relative to the needles in proper timed relation; the combination therewith of means automatically operable upon said lockin cam moving its irregularity beyond said means riding on said locking arm, during the knittin of a single predetermined course, for stopping the machine.

BASIL H. LANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,015,106 Gastrich Sept. 24, 1935 2,067,146 Porter Jan. 5, 1937 2,101,048 Ischinger Dec. 7, 1937 2,183,575 Lieberknecht Dec. 19, 1939 2,540,645 Berger Feb. 6, 1951 

